truth

"Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever."
Psalm 73:25-26

well

"You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God"
-Chris Tomlin

How awesome is this?! Even better, go on this blog and read the witty comments below each photo. I laugh every time.  http://unhappyhipsters.com/

Thanks Jen!

Excerpt from Girlfriends in God's email devo for today:

"It is important to note that Paul was first a servant - then an apostle set apart for the gospel. The people he served became his family and in turn served him by praying for him, encouraging him and meeting his physical needs. Service is not an option for the Christian. It is a command - a holy calling and the ultimate joy. The most contented people I know are the ones who serve the most. They have found an outlet for giving, have discovered their God given gifts and are using them to serve God. It is a paradox in the Christian life that the more we give the more we receive and the greater our level of contentment. When we turn inward and become focused on self, discontentment creeps in and takes up residence.
The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are made of the same water that flows from Mt. Hermon. The Sea of Galilee is a beautiful place, lush and green, because it has an outlet as it gathers in its riches then pours them out again to fertilize the Jordan plain. It gives. On the other hand, the Dead Sea, with the same water creates destruction because it has no outlet. It keeps.
The highest purpose in life is to be used by God to impact the lives of others. We often think that God reserves service for those called "ministers." Every follower of God is called to be a minister. Your mission field is your home - your office - your neighborhood and your world. If you want to discover the secret of contentment, look for opportunities to make investments in others by giving yourself away. Every act of service is a deposit in eternity and a wise investment." -Mary Southerland

Three of my closest friends (Tracy, Kel, Kate) and I receive these daily email devotions.We try to send responses to one another but it's been a little busy lately...gotta get back to it. To receive daily devotions go here: http://girlfriendsingod.com/

As cheesy as this photo is it's so true. I love all my girlfriends so much and I am so thankful for them! You know who you are.

"Am I My Brother's Keeper?" - Oswald Chambers

"None of us lives to himself..." (Romans 14:7)


     Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible spiritually to God for other people? For instance, if I allow any turning away from God in my private life, everyone around me suffers. We "sit together in the heavenly places..." (Ephesians 2:6). "If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it..." (1 Corinthians 12:26). If you allow physical selfishness, mental carelessness, moral insensitivity, or spiritual weakness, everyone in contact with you will suffer. But you ask, "Who is sufficient to be able to live up to such a lofty standard?" "Our sufficiency is from God..." and God alone (2 Corinthians 3:5).
     "You shall be witnesses to Me..." (Acts 1:8). How many of us are willing to spend every bit of our nervous, mental, moral, and spiritual energy for Jesus Christ? That is what God means when He uses the word witness. But it takes time, so be patient with yourself. Why has God left us on the earth? Is it simply to be saved and sanctified? No, it is to be at work in service to Him. Am i willing to be broken bread and poured-out wine for Him? Am I willing to be of no value to this age or this life except for one person and one alone-to be used to disciple men and women to the Lord Jesus Christ. My life of service to God is the way I say "thank you"to Him for His inexpressibly wonderful salvation. Remember, it is quite possible for God to set any of us aside if we refuse to be of service to Him-"...lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:27).

be encouraged!

sunlight!

the inspiration

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
   Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:12-17

arise

"For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful to even speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says,



"Awake sleeper, and arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you'."


[made this on the train ride down to San Diego a while back and thought I'd share]

excerpts from ACTS OF OBEDIENCE by Steven C. Hawthorne

"As He did on the Emmaus road, we should look for Christ Himself to come alongside of us, even in our foolish and self-absorbed moments, and remind us of the "big picture" of all that God has been doing throughout history. As He did in the event on the road to Emmaus, Christ desires to open our "minds to understand the Scriptures" to help us grasp a purpose larger  than ourselves (Luke 24:25). We can expect that Christ is able and willing to give us orders today "by the Holy Spirit" so that specific guidance will mesh with the big-picture vision of the fulfillment of God's global purpose for Christ's glory."


"Millions of people today are being turned away from the gospel, not by Christ, or by the repentance that He calls for. They are turning away because well-meaning zealots for Christian traditions have demanded adherence to so-called "Christian" cultural traditions. Superficial matters such as diet, dress, music, family names or any number of other peripheral matters are not what the gospel is all about. If we insist that these kinds of things are essential, we have to recognize that we are pressing for a "Christian cirumcision" that God has not required...Today we must do all we can to welcome people to Christ through that door of faith, helping them follow Christ without carrying a "greater burden" (Acts 15:28) of other biblically-founded traditions which are not the essentials of obeying Christ in faith. Only then will the gospel be declared and the nations be able to follow Christ "unhindered" (Acts 28:31)."


Praise God for culture and creative expression! And for seeking us out when we are foolish and self-absorbed. 


Rejoice!!! look at this video: http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/

one anothers

"One Another" Commands in the Bible
 
"One another" commands are found 59x in the New Testament. 
A few are repeated more than once.
1..  Members One of Another -- Rom. 12:3-5; Eph. 4:25 
2..  Minister to One Another -- 1 Pet. 4:10 
3..  Edify (Build Up) One Another -- Rom. 14:19; 1 Thess. 5:11 
4..  Teach One Another -- Col. 3:16 
5..  Bear One Another's Burdens -- Gal. 6:2 

6..  Pray One for Another -- James 5:16 

7.. Have the Same Care For One Another -- 1 Cor. 12:25 
8.. Comfort One Another -- 1 Thess. 4:18; 1 Thess. 5:11

9.. Have Compassion One to Another -- 1 Pet. 3:8

10.. Through Love Serve One Another -- Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet. 4:10

11.. Be Subject One to Another -- 1 Pet. 5:5

12.. Submit to One Another in the Fear (Reverence) of Christ -- Eph.5:21

13.. Be of the Same Mind One Toward Another -- Rom. 12:16

14.. Be Tenderhearted One to Another -- Eph. 4:32

15.. Confess Your Sins to One Another -- James 5:16

16.. Stimulate One Another to Love and Good Deeds -- Heb. 10:24

17.. Be Hospitable One to Another Without Complaint -- 1 Pet. 4:9

18.. Be Kind to One Another -- Eph. 4:32; I Peter 3:8

19.. Be Devoted (Kindly Affectioned) One to Another in Brotherly Love-- Rom. 12:10

20.. Love One Another -- John 13:34-35; John 15:12, 17; Rom. 13:8

21.. Exhort One Another -- Heb. 3:13; Heb. 10:25

22.. Admonish One Another -- Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16

23.. Bear with One Another in Love -- Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13

24.. Forgive One Another -- Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13

25.. Be at Peace with One Another -- Mark 9:50

26.. Give Preference to One Another in Honor -- Rom. 12:10

27.. Accept One Another -- Rom. 15:7

28.. Restore One Another in a Spirit of Gentleness -- Gal. 6:1

29.. Do Not Bite and Devour One Another -- Gal. 5:15

30.. Do Not Envy One Another -- Gal. 5:26

31.. Do Not Complain or Hold a Grudge One Against Another -- James 5:9

32.. Do Not Judge (Condemn) One Another -- Rom. 14:13

33.. Do Not Lie One to Another -- Col. 3:9

34.. Not Preferring (Showing Partiality) One Before Another -- 1 Tim.5:21; James 2:1

35.. Do Not Provoke One Another -- Gal. 5:26; I Cor. 13:4,5

36.. Be Not Puffed Up One Against Another -- 1 Cor. 4:6

37.. Do Not Speak Evil Against One Another -- James 4:11

38.. Speak to One Another in Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs -- Eph.5:19

39.. Do Not Be Consumed by One Another -- Gal. 5:15

40.. Speak Truth to One Another -- Eph. 4:25

41.. Clothe Yourself with Humility Toward One Another -- 1 Pet. 5:5

42.. Do Not Become Boastful, Challenging One Another -- Gal. 5:26

43.. Encourage One Another Day after Day-- 1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 3:13

44.. Live in Peace with One Another -- 1 Thess. 5:13; Mark 9:50

in honor of the upcoming holiday...

"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." 1 Peter 1:22

here

also fun to look through

happy

My friend Jen showed these two things to me. a) This room just makes me happy. b) I want to make cards with little designs like these. My doodles slightly resemble these strange flowers. Gracias Jen.

thanks kate

While I was down in San Diego this past weekend my wonderful friend Kate shared this verse with me. What an amazing promise!
2 Cor 2:14: 
"But thanks be to God who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere."
Such a good one to meditate on throughout the day. 

LONG BEACH AQUARIUM

This past weekend I went to the Long Beach Aquarium. Usually I only go to those types of things for the hands on stuff (where you actually touch things) but I really enjoyed just looking at all the different colors and designs of the fish. It's so clear that they are designed and made by a Creator. One of my favorite fish was the Picasso Fish. The jellyfish are also one of my favorites. The sea is such a mysterious and beautiful environment.

PRAYER

One of my dearest dearest friends Caitlyn just left for Australia for YWAM this last Thursday. She has a blog and if you know her you can follow it. It's called BIRD ON A MISSION (click on title) and it's on the right side here under "Blogs Worth a Look". Please pray for her and the group there as they learn and serve in months to come.

I could go on and on about how wonderful she is but I'm just going to say she is one of the most talented, beautiful, and humble woman I know. This picture's a pretty good representation of her. =)

VIDEOOOOOOS!!

My friends Ben, Cody, and Daniel visited Jen in San Jose this last Labor Day and made a trailer and a series of three videos. I can't find the second one but here are the three and I will post the second when I find it.

http://www.vimeo.com/6775420 - trailer (The best one!)

http://www.vimeo.com/6827096 - part I

http://www.vimeo.com/7196532 - part III

Here's another video of friends on a trip. It's on my friend Tracy's tumblr:

http://tracyatthewell.tumblr.com/. This one's of a road-trip up to Washington. 

To do: make a fun documentary like these...now I just need to go on a fun trip...but where?

10 Things

My friend Jen shared this site with me called 10 Things: to see click here. I love it!
here are my 10 things for 12/23:
1. exercising
2. wearing the candy cane PJs my mom gave me yesterday
3. listening to http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke/jesus-birth
4. wrapping presents and listening to music as my dog, Skylar, slept at my feet
5. going on a walk w. my mom and Skylar
6. bringing home tamales for dinner. (stopped by our neighbors house on the walk)
7. watching "documentary" videos of friends
8. Having Taylor home!
9. talks with friends
10. excitement about tomorrow...Christmas Eve!

She also made something called a terrarium. It's basically a little mini rain-forest. I plan to make one soon.

so good

I just started listening to The Peasant Princess (Song of Songs) sermon series from Mars Hill in Seattle. It's Emily's (friend in Seattle) home church and we went there last Sunday. I love how Mark Driscoll talks so candidly! Check it out here. 


This is a painting by Chagall, one of my favorite artists. He painted a whole series inspired by the Song of Songs. 

waiting

Jill, Kel, and I missed our flight by 6 min this morning. The airport was super crowded. We're now waiting 4 hours to be on standby for a 11 am flight out of Seattle. nbd. We're just hanging out now. The delay made us realize how much we really love Seattle when the first thought that came to our minds was, "oh well, I guess we'll have to live here. No flights, no problem". Sometimes a halt in plans is a good thing. We had time to get coffee and just breath for a couple hours. It's been nice.